Car or other roof



(No Model.)

R. S. MERRILL.

OAR 0R OTHER ROOF. No. 431,474. Patented July 1, 1890.

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RUFUS S. MERRILL, OF WAKEFIELD, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES F. QUINOY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CAR OR OTHER ROOF.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,474, dated July 1, 1890.V Application filed April 2, 1890. Serial No. 346,314. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

B'e it known that I, RUEUs S. MERRILL, of NVakeIield, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Oar or other Roofs, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention has particular reference to the construction of car-roofs; but some of its feaxo tures are applicable also to roofs of other structures.

It is intended to provide a cheap, easily and quickly constructed and thoroughly waterproof roof, and it can best be explained I5 and understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the top of a car with the outer roof removed. Fig. 2 is a crosssection of the car-roof on line 2 2, Fig. l. Fig. zo 3 is a longitudinal section of the roof on line 3 3, Fig. l. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the roof, showing batten, water-proof material, and the grooved cap arranged in accordance with Iny invention.

A is the car-body.

B represents the inner roof or ceiling of the car supported upon and secured to the carlings O in the usual way. This inner roof is composed of boards laid lengthwise of the car, 3o which need be planed or smoothed off upon their inner faces only. This inner roof or ceiling is covered with any approved waterproof paper or fabric. Strips D of this fabric are laid crosswise of the roof, each strip 3 5 extending in one continuous length between the eaves and over the ridge of the roof. Along the lines Where the contiguous edges of these strips overlap battens E are secured to the inner roof B. The contiguous edges of 4o the strips are overlapped upon and nailed or tacked to the tops of these battens, as seen in Figs. 3 and 4. Then upon these battens, to which the overlapping edges ofthe strips have been secured, are placed grooved wooden caps F, which fitdown closely upon and around the batt-ens, drawing the strips out smooth and tight upon the inner roof and extending continuously from the eaves to the ridge where they meet. The joint which they 5o form at the ridge should be covered by acontinuous longitudinal ridge-piece, extending from end to end of the car. This ridge-piece consists in the present instance of the meeting ends of the transverse boards, which compose the outer roof G of the car, and the longitudinal foot-board or tread I-I, which covers these meeting ends. The caps F form in effeet rafters intermediate of the outer and inner roofs, on which are secured the longitudinal stringers I, to which the boards which 6o form the outer roof are nailed. The com-` bined caps and rafters F are nailed to the battens, or battens and inner roof. Itismanifest that for roofing or sheathing buildings or y other structures in which the water-proof fabric does not require external protection t-he outer roof o'r sheathing G and its string ers I Inay be dispensed with.

I am aware that it has before been proposed to build a car-roof with -an outer and inner 7o roof and an intermediate layer of tar or other waterproofed paper or fabric applied to the exterior of the inner roof. I am also aware that in sucha roof it has been proposed to lay the water-proof fabric in strips crosswise of the car between rafters of T shape approximately with the edges of the strips laid up against the sides of the rafters, so as to reach to a point just under the flanges or heads on the tops of the rafters, and to cover 8o these edges by waterproof paper or fabric caps applied to the rafters, so as to cover the exposed edges of the strips, and held in this position by stringers notched so as to fit on the rafters at the points where the two meet. I claim none of thesethings.

In my roof the strips at their edges are covered and held by continuous wooden caps, which serve as rafters as well, fitting down over the battens to which the strips are se- 9o cured, protecting and covering the overlapping edges of these strips so as to make a water-tight joint, stretching and holding taut the fabric, and at the same time serving as rafters to which the stringers which carry the outer roof may be secured.

Vhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the inner roof or sheathing B, the battens E, the water-proof roo strips D, having theii` contiguous overlapping edges secured to the battens, and the continuous grooved Wooden caps F, covering the edges of the fabric and fitting closely upon and around the battens and down upon the body of the fabric on the inner roof, as and `for the purposes hereinbefore shown and set forth.

2. The combination of the inner roof B, the battens E, the Water-proof strips D, having their contiguous overlapping edges secured to the battens, the continuous grooved Wooden combined caps and rafters F, fitting down upon and around the battens, andthe stringers I, secured to said parts F and the outer roof 15 G, as `ind for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of March, 1890.

RUFUS S. MERRLL.

Witnesses:

EWELL A. DICK, WILLIAM H. SHIPLEY. 

